628 MW Conventional Hydroelectric (300 MW) + Hydroelectric Pumped Storage (328 MW) operating in Elbert, GA — Southeastern Power Administration
628 MW
Nameplate Capacity
8
Generators
units
Hybrid (2)
Technology
Conventional Hydroelectric + Hydroelectric Pumped Storage
1985
Operating Since
Coordinates
34.0256, -82.5953
County
Elbert, GA
Nearby Plants
Owner data does not fully agree across sources.
EIA typically reports the operating utility, while GEM resolves to the financial owner or parent corporation. Both can be correct.
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | USCE-Savannah District | US Army Corps of Engineers - Savannah District | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Owner(s) | USCE-Savannah District | US Army Corps of Engineers - Savannah District [100%] | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
GEM identifies the owner as US Army Corps of Engineers - Savannah District [100%]
This entity is not yet in the GEM ownership database — chain unavailable.
Richard B. Russell Dam is a concrete-gravity and embankment dam located on the Savannah River at the border of South Carolina and Georgia, creating Richard B. Russell Lake. The dam was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1974 and 1985 for the purposes of flood control, hydroelectricity, recreation, additional stream flow regulation, water supply, and fish and wildlife management. The concrete structure of the dam spans 1,904 feet (580 m) and rises 210 feet (64 m) above the riverbed, housing a hydro-power plant with an installed 600 megawatts (800,000 hp) capacity. The Richard B. Russell Dam is the final large dam completed by the U.S. Army Corps in the Savannah River Basin and lies 30 miles downstream from the Hartwell Dam (1962) and 37 miles (60 km) upstream from the J. Strom Thurmond Dam (1954).
Read more on WikipediaThe Richard B Russell hydroelectric plant is located in Elbert County, Georgia. The plant, which began operating in 1985, has a total capacity of 628 MW across 8 generators. It is owned and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USCE) Savannah District. The plant utilizes conventional hydroelectric and pumped storage technologies, and is categorized as a hybrid plant.
The primary fuel source for the Richard B Russell plant is water (WAT). In the most recent year of data, the plant generated 256,681 MWh of electricity, resulting in a capacity factor of 4.7%. The plant operates within the Southeastern Power Administration balancing authority and the SERC NERC region. It is the second-largest of 7 hydroelectric plants in Georgia, and ranks 40th out of 194 hydroelectric plants nationally.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
NERC Region
SERC
Balancing Authority
Southeastern Power Administration
Grid Voltage
230 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Municipal
Sector
Electric Utility
15.5K MWh
Net Discharge
256.7K MWh
Annual Net Energy
4.7%
Capacity Factor
Positive values indicate net discharge (generation exceeds station load). Negative values indicate net charging. Pure battery storage plants are typically net negative due to round-trip efficiency losses.
No financial data available for this plant.
This plant is outside organized wholesale electricity markets (ISOs/RTOs). Nodal pricing data is not available.
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